How To Rescue A Cat

Erin's cat
Erin’s Gus

Today at Cat Care we have guest cats from the state of New York. They are all rescues and they belong to H Erin Nelson, Published Author of the children’s Bibletoons series. Founder/Owner charity Bibletoons Foundation, Web Designer/Owner of WorldHorizons Web. Erin’s cat Calee is almost twenty years old. Sparkee is in heaven and greatly missed. Toulouse is three and Gus is four years old and as you can imagine Erin rescues cats and with that today’s post will be about How to Rescue a Cat.

 

Erins Cats
Erin’s Sparkee and Calee

How To Rescue A Cat

I would like to address this topic and start at a place of great need.

Shelters

Erin's cats
Erin’s Toulouse and Gus

Shelters are overflowing and at capacity. Everytime a person adopts out of a shelter there is a life saved. Many shelters start a clock when many beautiful cats and dogs enter the facility and if they are not adopted they are euthanized. A good number of shelter cats are already well-mannered as they may be owner surrenders or a lost cat. It is heart breaking to see senior cats surrendered through no fault of their own wondering why they are not at home.

Shelters also have mums and kittens. It would be nice if some would bring the whole family home and then find them homes as they grow up.

Stray or Feral Cats

Adopting stray or feral cats can be more work, but every bit as rewarding. Of my seven cats four of them were feral. Three were kittens and one was an approximately two year old female. The kittens were easy. At less than a month old they just needed feeding and we let them grow up. They needed protection and isolation until they look after themselves from the dogs and senior cats. At the recommended time they were vaccinated and neutered/spayed and now they are family.

My two year old female was a very easy socialization to the clowder. She must have been dumped as she is very comfortable being in the house. She needed some protection from the senior females and within a couple of months every body got along fairly well.

This was my first experience with a female cat in heat. There was lots of yowling and extra attention from the neutered males. This ended when she was spayed.

Feral cat
Janet’s Raymond

My friend Janet captures feral cats and finds them homes. Some of these cats require patience as they can be very timid. Her boy Raymond spent three months hiding in his room. One day he decided he wanted to be cuddled and has been a fabulous house cat ever since. Raymond was diagnosed with Feline FIV and we will talk more about this later.

Janet also captured another adult male cat. He was a totally different kitty as his socialization was quick. He was adopted out to a wonderful home and even has his own Instagram page. When Janet catches feral cats they are vaccinated and spayed/neutered before they are put up for adoption. This is done at her expense and she does a thorough interview before they are let out the door.

Bringing a feral cat into your home can be more work and very rewarding at the same time. This is a perfect time to teach children about animal respect and responsibility. I think every child should have a pet. Something living that loves you back.

The Free Cat

One of my cats was a senior female that I found on Kijiji. Online classified advertising services are full of free cats. I was very fortunate that my Alexis is a healthy long haired beauty. She came with all her food and accessories including a cat tree.

Getting free cats like this can have its issues as there might not be any medical records or significant history. There can be fraud as some people try pass off some cats as a specialty breed.

Be careful and maybe you will be saving a cat that needs rescuing.

Adopting A Senior Cat

Lexi
Alexis

All seniors deserve to retire with dignity. Senior cats at the shelter are probably removed from the comfort of their homes and might not respond to you very well while at the shelter. Some senior cats have their own personality and may take months to socialize to your home.

I adopted Tenzin from the shelter. He was there for three months before finding his forever home. To this day he does not like to be handled too much. He loves to be brushed and petted, but his cuddling time is limited.

My Alexis is a 10-year-old female and prefers limited contact. We love her a lot and give her space as required.

Lacy is my six year old female and while not quite a senior she also requires her space. She likes to play and get brushed and her personality has had a positive development over the years we have had her.

Adopting senior cats requires patience at times and it is important to give them their space. Every kitty has their own personality and remember with love and patience their behaviors can change. Every time a person adopts a Senior cat you give them a chance at living long lives in a loving home.

Adopting a Handicaped Cat

Animal welfareHandicapped cats can be as rewarding as any other cat. Three legged cats, or cats with one eye are just as much a joy as any other. They will appreciate it.

Feline FIV cats are not a problem to adopt. They can even mix in with other cats with no fear of passing FIV to other cats. Please follow this link to my Feline FIV post for more information. Some people recommend that FIV cats be raised alone or with another FIV cat. Feline FIV is passed through the blood of open wounds. I have seven cats of various ages and there has never been blood drawn yet from fights. I personally would not be afraid to introduce a FIV cat into my clowder.

Which Cat Do I Want

Maine Coon
Erin’s Toulouse and Gus

Should you decide to bring home a shelter cat be sure it is a family decision. Then decide on who will spend the most time with the cat. Small children that want a huggy cat will influence your decision. When you go to the shelter spend time with the cats and pick one that fits your family. That cat will be family too. From kittens to seniors or handicapped any one of them can be great family members. Please do not separate the bonded pairs or maybe bring them both home. How can a person have only one cat?

I firmly do not believe in surprise pets. Giving someone a kitty that they will not appreciate is cruel. Many Easters bunnies are released into the wild after the novelty has worn off, same with kittens.

Bringing Kitty Home

When the kitty come home they will need certain necessities. A litter box is essential. A nice cat bed and a good grade cat food is a must. Acquiring a Cat Tree will be appreciated by both you and the cat as they will have a place to scratch and sleep plus leave your furniture alone. Follow this link to my Maintaining Your Cat Page for more information.

A veterinarian is a must. Follow this link to my Find A Veterinarian page for more information. One point that must be brought up. DO NOT be talked into CAT DECLAWING. This is a cruel and inhumane procedure that is still done to cats. It must be stopped as it does not benefit the cat in any way and is only for the benefit of owners. There are numerous ways to prevent cats from scratching. Read my Cat Declawing post for more information.

In Closing

Today’s topic of How to Rescue A Cat is not really that complicated. A little bit of study and some pre planning makes it a fun task. I think that getting cats out of the shelter is a necessity. I do not mind a bit if a person want a specialty breed cat. Check the shelters first then if necessary always buy from a reputable breeder. Remember when you adopt a cat it’s forever. As a care giver it will be your responsibility to give basics of life plus regular doctor visits and lot and lots of love.

Today’s Product

Today’s product is for those of you that allow free roaming cats. It is the TKSTAR Mini GPS Tracker for Small Cat Dog Pet Wifi Position Cat Dog Finder with GPS Collar TK911 in Black

Click on the Picture.

 

I am not a fan of free roaming cats for many reasons, but some kitties have to get out. This tracker should ease the stress of a lost cat.

That’s my story for today. If you would like to see my cats and their bios follow this link to the “Meet The Kittys Page“. Don’t forget to check my Cat Care Products page for all your Cat Care needs. Now hug a kitty and do something green for the environment. If you have any questions or comments please do so below.
Trevor

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